Proteção à Testemunha

This movie was very good. Even though I should have probably known better, I was under the long term illusion that these witness protection people got a free ride for selling out to the government. This movie really gives a dose of reality that is pretty believable. You are torn between thinking "he really deserved it" and empathizing with him and his family and what they are giving up for the protection. I also thought the movie did a good job of showing how they have to find them selves and their family core once again to proceed with their new lives. Great jobs by Forest Whitaker and Mary Elizabeth.

How could anyone say the characters were shallow in this movie? If the characters had any more depth, the viewer would drown in the emotions being displayed.

This film is the only one I have ever given a 10 to. It is filled with sturm and drang. There is more angst than one could imagine. The characters are drowning in their own stress and dysfunctionality. One reviewer said that Mastrontonio was shrill. She was not, but her character was and justifiably so. Can anyone view the argument (fight) between her and Bobby (Sizemore) and not feel how overwhelmed she is and how much she feels betrayed?

Everyone associated with this film has risen to the occasion and gives the performance of a lifetime. Kudos to the Director, Richard Pearce for so artfully staging the brilliant script written by Daniel Therriault. And, as for the actors, each performs brilliantly. Applause to Whitaker, Sadler, Shawn Hatosy (the son) and Skye McCole Bartusick (the daughter). In fact, as a psychologist, I wonder if Skye was slightly traumatized after the role was over, having to portray a 5 year old who has lost her ability to rely on the world and her family. She is fear personified.

Special hats off to Mastrontonio for a superb performance as the wife who stands by her man until he breaks the last straw.

Finally, what can be said about Sizemore's performance except it is MASTERFUL! His Bobby Bats makes Gandolfini's Tony Soprano look like an altar boy. Are he and Gandolfini secret twins, as it is hard now to look at one and not think of the other? The breadth of emotion portrayed by Sizemore show that here is a talent to notice. I thought he was good in The Florentine (see it), but this is superior by tenfold.

This is a giant of a film. Were it a commercially produced product versus one by HBO, I suspect it would have led to nominations for Best Actor and Actress, Best Suppporting Actor, Best Writer, Best Director and Best Film, that's how good this film is.

This movie is the kind that TV airs by the dozen late in the evening. It is not advertised as something special, just a nice thrill to entertain you before bedtime.

However, it is a very solid, well turned story, showing another side of the gangster/new identity tale that we have seen many times before. We get under the skin of a family forced into assuming a new identity. A son has to give up his access to a famous college and a daughter has to give up her friends at school and learn a whole new family history. Grand parents are said goodbye to, never to be seen again. All the difficulties of assuming a new identity are well described and explored in this film, and the acting is no-nonsense, to the point and convincing. Forest Whitaker is (as always) perfect in his role, but in fact all actors contribute convincingly to the story.

I thought that this was just another "made for cable" movie that would be just to watch once and forget. I was very wrong. This movie showed a different view to the unknowing public as to what really goes on in the witness program and it is not what we all think. This movie also had also no dull moments. I tried playing a game with my wife later and called her Joan (as in Joan Cooper) to try to slip her up, and sure enough, it is real easy to tell people things they can use against you. Great movie for all except for anyone under 10. Great job by Tom Sizemore, Forrest Whitaker, Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio and William Sadler, and the 2 actors that played their children. Keep it up HBO.

Witness Protection is another fine example of HBO's strong line of original films (Mistrial, Vendetta, RKO 281). In Witness Protection, Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan, Bringing Out the Dead) stars as a mob man who has recently had a hit put out on him by his own boss. In order to protect himself and his family he agrees to testify against his boss and enter the witness protection program. After entering the program he soon realizes the stress this puts on his family as everyone begins to take sides against everyone else in a struggle to make it. Sizemore one of the best actors in the business gives a strong lead performance adding to his list of impressive performances. Forest Whitaker (Blown Away, Species) adds a great supporting performance as the man who leads the family into the program. Highly recommended.